A Master, not a Sibling
by Carstein
Summary: After the death of Qui-Gon and the liberation of Naboo, the council must choose what to do with Skywalker. Obi-Wan is a promising Jedi who defeated a Sith. That does not make him ready for a Padawan of his own. A different, much more tempered Master is chosen for his training.
1. Chapter 1

At the hub of Galactic politics, Palpatine was all smiles, overseeing his election process with honeyed words and humble, gratuitous thanks, the man that would soon be Chancellor kept his calm, even as he felt the force fray and shriek around him.

His apprentice was dead.

No great loss really. Maul was a dog. A kath hound straining at the leash, little more valuable than an overly strong beast. The fact that he could barely slay a single, middling Jedi at the nadir of his physical prime, proved that easily enough.

But he'd hoped to use the Zabrak as a red herring a little longer. Leave the Jedi rushing across a galaxy chasing him while he and his true apprentice, Tyranus, enacted the final touches on their long term plan.

Maul's death, on its own, was not much of a setback. Maul's death, coupled with the Jedi's likely decision to train the young Skywalker along with the force howling at him of some danger that he couldn't focus on with all the goings on of his current charade was proving to be a headache at the moment.

The only thing brightening his mood, at all, was that he would win the vote of Chancellor by the equivalent of a landslide, the 'victory' over Naboo would cement his early political gains easily.

He stepped into his private speeder, the droid driver dutifully closing the door behind him as he offered one final wave and smile for the holo-cams before the tinted windows closed and he allowed the smile to drop, taking a breath to fully forgo the persona and immerse himself in the force. Subtly gathering his strength while keeping it hidden to try and peer into the skein and find the source of the disturbance.

It just so happened the disturbance found him.

" _ **WARNING- IMPACT IMMINEN-"**_

The shriek of the alarm barely registered in his mind before something smashed into his private car a shriek of metal tearing across his senses before fire swallowed him whole.

Palpatine was no stranger to pain, or to fear or danger. His mind acted quickly, avoided the panic, took measure and stock of this before it could get out of hand.

The skein of futures cracked and forked like the lines of a spider web. Every fraction of a second more of them closing off as avenues of escape faded and were lost forever as he took in the flow of various futures and processed them.

He saw one, one future where he lived through this.

The Jedi would be suspicious, their hackles raised. But too teeming with life was Coruscant for them to _know_ he was the cause.

He needed no further encouragement. Fully immersing himself in the shroud of the dark side and seized his salvation with both hands, sending a shriek across the galaxy as the Jedi became suddenly aware of a dark, sinister malevolence in the very heart of Coruscant all the while the worlds of the republic watched as their beloved, new chancellor's personal shuttle crashed in a spectacular fireball.

(X)(X)(X)

There was something wrong.

A disturbance in the force.

When he was young, and Master Yoda went on about them, Obi-Wan always rolled his eyes in secret, always thought it was just something the old masters said to make themselves look more omniscient than they actually were.

'I sense a disturbance in the force' could be anything.

It could be as small as a padawan cutting off a finger with a training saber, or a starship blowing up in the middle of a docking bay.

All one had to do was turn on the galactic news to 'sense a disturbance in the force' all day every day.

It was only after he got older, when his mind, and abilities were significantly sharper, did he understand what the hell they were actually talking about.

The force… as he chose to envision it… interpret it. Was like a crystal clear lake in a deep, dark cave, with hundreds of millions of tiny stalactites hanging over its surface, each one, slowly, intermittently allowing the tiniest of drops to fall onto its crystalline face each tiny drop sending the smallest of ripples flowing along its surface.

And this is what the force was. Ripples of a hundred million tiny drops ebbing, swirling, converging and breaking upon one another in constant motion.

The essence of life. A paradox of harmonious chaos

But every so often something happened to break the flow. Like a knife cutting across its surface to form new ripples.

Sometimes this blade was as thin as a razor, other times as thick as a cleaver.

And sometimes it was a bloody chainsaw that was dipped into the waters, its revving teeth sending water up everywhere and it's grumbling motor breaking the musical droplets with a cacophonous roar.

Now that was a bloody disturbance in the Force.

It felt sick, twisted and dark. Similar to the Zabrak, but so much worse.

They, every Master, every knight and even a few of the most dense and hard headed Padawans, were immediately aware of it. Across a thousand worlds, all across the galaxy they felt it at the exact same moment.

Master Quigon's body was still warm when Master's Windu and Yoda moved to the palace of Theed to conference with the other Masters.

He stayed with the others, watched over the body, greeted young Skywalker when he returned from his little… adventure.

All the while the chainsaw kept revving its teeth through the once calm waters.

(X)(X)(X)

"If that is the council's decision." The voice of Master Windu was clear and strong, easily carrying through the room and the comms."

"Forced this is not." Master Yoda said with a tap of his cane. "If significant objections are held, speak them now."

"My reservations are clear, but they are just that, reservations; not objections." Windu clarified. "If the council, and you Master Yoda believe this to be the best course I will follow it through."

"The best course, this is." Yoda said. "Ready to be a Master, Obi-wan is not. With the resurgence of the Sith and this new disturbance in the force…" The green alien trailed off shaking his head before turning away and beginning to walk towards the exit.

Mace really couldn't blame him. He and Qui-gon may have had differing opinions and methods, but the Jedi's loss was a grievous one.

He turned back to the other Masters. "We'll reconvene on Coruscant and plan further action there."

"We understand." Master Galia said with a nod. "Send our condolences to young Obi-wan. Try to be patient with him Mace."

She offered him a sardonic smile, he replied with a baleful glare before shutting off the feed.

Turning away from the holo comms, he walked up behind Master Yoda, hands folding into his billowing sleeves as he fell into step beside his teacher.

"This disturbance in the force. Its dark in nature, of a magnitude I've rarely felt before."

"Change swiftly, things do. Vigilant we must be. Clouds all, the dark side does."

Mace nodded.

He didn't have the faintest clue as to what to do about it either.

Master Yoda's fancy way of saying "Wait and see" was probably the only real recourse they had at the moment.

Determine what it was, act and adapt to it once they did.

As they moved out of the palace the cheers and hoots of joyful Naboo natives began to filter down into their ears. Mace tried not to begrudge them their revelry after the hard fought battle to free their city and their planet, but it was difficult. He, like Yoda was well aware that this was just a spark of a rapidly escalating issue with the Trade Federation. The Jedi's work to bring the federation into line was only just beginning in all likelihood.

Add to that the death of Qui-gon… and he didn't much feel like smiling, let alone celebrating.

He and Master Yoda walked in silence, easily finding the young Kenobi through the force and making their way closer to him.

And there, shining like a beacon amidst the storming tides and eddies of the force was Skywalker.

Qui-gon's last request.

The boy's face and clothes were covered in soot and grime, as if he'd been in a firefight or near an explosion, talking to Obi-Wan with a look of dismayed sadness.

Apparently he'd just learned about Qui-gon.

Their footsteps finally caught Kenobi's attention and the Padawan turned, his own eyes glimmering red with unshed tears. "M-masters. I was just-"

"Worry not Obi-wan. Allowed to grieve you are." Master Yoda smiled gently. "Your masters loss, we all feel."

"Thank you, Master Yoda." He bowed his head in respect, his gratitude easilly felt through the force, along with his palpable nervousness.

"Masters…" Mace did not miss the hasty look Obi-wan threw to the boy before he averted his eyes.

The battlemaster decided to take mercy on the Padawan, turning his eyes straight towards Anakin himself, who stared at both him and Yoda with tangible curiosity and trepidation.

"The council has decided to reconvene regarding your apprenticeship young Skywalker and we have come to a decision."

Both Kenobi and Anakin both seemed to freeze in place at the words. Equal parts hopeful and fearful.

"To be trained, by Master Kenobi, you will not be."

The disappointment seemed to gore Obi-wan like a spear, his whole body physically recoiling. While Anakin…

Anakin's face scrunched up, and his fists clenched in anger.

Mace felt those same niggling doubts crawl up the back of his skull warnings springing through his mind.

This boy should not be trained.

He knew...

"M-masters please. It was Master Qui-Gon's last wish that-"

Yoda chuckled, his raspy voice silencing Obi-wan. "Know your Masters wish we do Obi-wan. To train young Skywalker it is. But fail you, your ears do."

Mace decided to clarify. "You have defeated a Sith Obi-Wan. And that feat has proven you are ready for knighthood. But that knighthood is less than a day old. You are not ready to bear the responsibility of an apprentice, let alone an apprentice of such unique aptitude and needs."

Despite the words, Obi-Wan's relieved smile could have lit up the room "So… he will get a master. Another Master, not me but another?"

"Indeed." Yoda laughed.

"Who is it?"

Anakin's voice caught them all a little off guard. His timid query so quiet it was nearly lost amongst the cacophony of the Naboo people.

"Who's gonna be my Master?"

Mace unfolded his arms, looking down at this, the young man he had so many doubts over.

"Me." He said, meeting his eyes.

Behind them, the cheering and celebration began to die away as the clergymen began to prepare the funeral pyres, perfectly cut pieces of wood being set up to accommodate the dead

Mace moved to walk past the boy, gesturing to a nearby bench where he could wait with Kenobi for Qui-Gon. "Take a seat, young Skywalker. Today we mourn, tomorrow your training will begin in earnest.

(X)(X)(X)

Hello :) This is my first story and its an idea I've had in my head for a while, wondering what could be different with Mace Windu as Anakin's master as opposed to Obi-Wan.

And before anyone goes crazy, no, Palpatine is not dead he did however, use the force to survive, calling on dark side energy, hence the disturbance in the force that drove the council to be a bit more... prudent in choosing Anakin's Master. (Honestly, the guy was barely a knight for an hour)

Hope you all enjoy it, any criticism or thoughts you guys might have would be much appreciated. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Well, this chapter took me a little bit for a few reasons, but mainly because I thought, quite a bit, of where this story was going in my head, and I ultimately, had to revise my plans.

Originally, this story was pretty much going to follow the rules of canon up to a certain point. But would generally follow it through the second film, where Anakin met Padme again and fell in love with her.

Part way through this thought process, I realized several things.

1) Reason you write FF is to make things different (drastically so)

2) I don't really like the prequels all that much in and of themselves.

3) I especially can't stand the overly forced nature of Padme and Anakin's romance in the prequels either.

4) I kinda didn't like Padme's development overmuch either. That is to say, I don't like how Padme went from capable, intelligent woman to... the 'victim' in the third film who was ready to give up her ideals, beliefs and morals; asking a man who, at the very least, she suspected had killed children to 'run away with her' and was ready to forgive and tolerate all that if he would just be willing to fly off into the sunset holding her hand. Someone so dependent on another person that when that person was 'gone' they literally just up and died.

Soooo... yeah.

Fuck George Lucas and his prequels.

In short, I couldn't bring myself to rehash, a plotline that I genuinely believe is 'boring' at best, or 'Disgusting' at worst. So I scrapped all my previous plans and have decided to go nearly full AU with this, with the only things staying 'the same' are Sidious, Tyranus, Grievous and so on.

As such, I can't guarantee that in this story Luke and Leia will come to exist as most fans hope. _IF_ I have Anakin fall for somebody and have children, it will likely not be with Padme.

If that does not appeal to you I am sorry :(

At any rate, with that warning label in place I can now give you the chapter. Enjoy :)

(X)(X)(X)

Nothing of his life as a Jedi is what Anakin had been expecting at all.

When you heard about the Jedi on Tattooine, or the greater outer rim, it was talk about people in robes, with powers and fancy swords. Some people talked about em like they stuck their noses in other peoples business and some said that they helped people like him.

Slaves.

When Qui-Gon had asked him to be a Jedi, Anakin had pictured… adventure, and learning how to fight with those swords, like he'd seen when Qui-Gon fought the guy with the black hood just before they left Tattooine.

He'd pictured learning with Qui-Gon, or whoever his master turned out to be by… doing things…

Since his arrival all Anakin had done was read.

And read…

And read…

And read.

The books were endless and his embarrassment and frustration to being in a classroom with kids younger than him was only amplified by the fact that he could barely read any of it.

Tattooine had no need, or desire for literate slaves.

The only reason he knew what he knew is because his mom taught him what little she herself knew.

Then there were the other Padawans.

He was their age, but they were already so far ahead of him he felt as though he'd never catch up.

What little time he spent outside of the study hall with all those books was taken up with Master Yoda and the children, where he tried to 'feel' the remote before it shot him. And then where he would try to 'feel' where he had to place the Saber.

The younglings already knew how to do it, he'd peeked past his eye covering to see them reflect the shots perfectly.

With him, every other shot got through his guard.

It was only on a few seldom occasions that he would ever see his 'Master'.

Master Windu would come see him… almost at random, asking him equally random or benign questions. Always at the end of a day, and always looking at him with a completely blank face. Neither warm nor cold; neither approving or disapproving. Just… there… checking in…

Anakin wondered if that's how all masters treated their padawans, or if he was just special… he remembered, quite pointedly at times, that Master Windu had been the Master that had been most opposed to him becoming a Jedi.

By the end of every day, his head hurt, and more and more he wished that he could just go back home, wondering if his dreams of being a Jedi were just… stupid made up stories.

(X)(X)(X)

"Master?"

Mace Windu turned at the sound of Obi-Wan's hesitant voice, the newly anointed Knight had begun to grow out a beard. Mace suspected it was out of some desire to appear more mature than his youth would allow otherwise.

"Yes Kenobi? What can I do for you?"

The young man stepped forward, turning his gaze from Mace down several stories to the first floor of the library where Anakin was, even now, dutifully studying.

"I don't mean to pry… or to intrude Master…"

"You do." Mace interrupted. Stated. The young Knight wore his emotions on his sleeve. "You don't approve of my current distance from the boy."

"I don't assume to approve or disapprove Master. But… from what I gather you've always been a very hands on teacher. Why the sudden change?"

Mace took a deep breath, leaning slightly over the railing. "Despite what you may fear, I am not doing this out of some sense of spite or reluctance in teaching him. With all due respect, I believe your former Master was wrong to tell the boy of his belief that he is infact the 'Chosen one' of the prophecy."

"Just because you don't believe doesn't mean-"

"My belief has nothing to do with my choice. Listen to my words Kenobi. I believe your Master was wrong in telling him. Whether Qui-gon's beliefs were correct or not is an entirely separate issue. What he birthed in that boy wasn't a sense of purpose but the root of what could very easily become arrogance, pride and entitlement by telling him what he thought the boy was."

"Then… this is a test of humility?"

"A lesson." Mace said. "The best one I can come up with truth be told. The boy needs to be made to understand that he is no different than any other Padawan here. He must learn that he is neither above, nor below other students."

"But you see that he is struggling." Obi-Wan half stated, half asked.

"I am aware." The Master took another breath. "In truth, the boys thoughts are tumultuous, filled with doubt and unease. I would like to help guide him through it, but I fear my immediate, direct involvement, or directing another to help in my stead would defeat the purpose of the lesson in and of itself; he must get no special treatment from me if it's to bear results."

"Humility, hard to teach when standing so high, hmm."

Yoda's speech and laugh made both Jedi turn, finding the grand master slowly hobbling forward, a small little smile on his face

Both men bowed their heads. "Master." Obi-wan greeted, with Mace staying quiet.

Yoda joined them in looking down the rafters towards the struggling Anakin.

"Much potential he has. But, in danger of being snuffed out, his flame is. Difficult to walk the Jedi path will be without help.

"You're saying then that I should involve myself directly then?" Windu asked.

"Indeed. Healthy, distance can be. But left too long will coil the root of resentment."

Mace seemed to sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "There's a reason we don't take Padawan's so old…"

Yoda chuckled. "A challenge he will be, but more than capable you are. And some help you might just have along the way."

Both Jedi turned their eyes back to Anakin at those words, finding someone walking closer to him.

(X)(X)(X)

Anakin was trying to find out just what the hell the Chandrillan measurement system was, and why it was important enough to study when someone spoke up across the table.

"Need some help?"

The former slave looked up from his reading, blinking stupidly at the blue Twi'lek girl that was looking at him.

She was older… by three or four years at least. Or… he thought so by her height. Did Twi'lek's age slower or faster than humans?

"Uhhh… no?"

He thought she was smirking… maybe… or just looking at him oddly given the dubious assertion.

"Sure looks like you need help."

"Why do you say that?"

"You feel tense, and you're reading material for first year adepts when you should at least be in your second or third…" She paused. "You're Master Windu's new apprentice right?"

He shrugged. "I guess."

"Gotta be." She said. "You're the only one that could be this old still reading first year subjects."

She pulled up a chair, sliding it somewhat noisily across the floor to sit next to him.

She took a single glance at what he was reading. "Well no wonder you're lost. You're missing like three different things here to help make sense of it."

"Ummm." Anakin began.

In truth, he was glad that someone wanted to at least get him pointed in the right direction. But Tatooine wasn't exactly known for its generosity and he had to wonder what she wanted in exchange.

"I… thank you?"

Again, she looked at him funny. He didn't really blame her.

"It's alright." She said. "Got a few hours before Master Vos needs me." With that, she stood up, again with a noisy screech of her chair and made to, he assumed, go look for whatever he was missing to help him make sense of all this.

"Hey uh… what's your name?" He called.

"Aayla." She answered back, not even turning before ducking into an aisle.

(X)(X)(X)

Hope you enjoyed, read and review if you did :D


	3. Chapter 3

When Master Windu had finally started taking an active role in his training, Anakin was, quite understandably, both nervous and excited.

Nervous because it was Master Windu. His Master whom, while having never been cold or seemingly resentful of Anakin, had never seemed particularly warm to him either.

And excited because… well… it was Master Windu. The Jedi order's most powerful Master besides Master Yoda that he'd be learning under.

His friend Aayla, was frankly the only reason he'd really gotten this far. She helped him with his studies (which he hated) , with his Force meditations (which he hated even more) and… had really become Anakin's best friend at the temple.

Anakin had pictured learning powerful force techniques and dazzling lightsaber weapon arts when Master Windu first started his lessons.

What Anakin first learned under master Windu…was how to make perfect Sapir tea.

Needless to say; he was mildly disappointed, to say the very least.

Instead of combat and strategy, Master Windu's sole focus was… philosophy. And having Anakin repeat the lessons the other masters and teachers had given him throughout the day.

Their discussions ranged from everything regarding the Jedi code, to the theoretical development and application of the seven forms of lightsaber combat, to famous figures of Jedi history throughout the galaxy. All the while drinking a perfect blend of Sapir tea at Windu's prefered temperature…

And Always Master Windu would ask him a question, to which Anakin had no answer. Which then forced Anakin to walk directly to the Library (even though they had bloody datapads with archival access) and search (in the most tedious way possible, no search engine or filtering program) for the appropriate answer.

Aayla laughed at his misery.

This would be repeated day, after day, after day, week after week.

Until finally, Anakin couldn't take it anymore and he just had to ask.

Of course, his approach was thought out, planned in advance, and optimized (in his mind) to get a favorable answer from Master Windu.

"Are we ever going to start practicing Saber combat Master?"

Master Windu softly blew on the tea, taking a sip before answering. "That answer is entirely up to you." He said.

Anakin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Wait… so we can start right now?"

The hope in his voice left Windu completely unmoved as he crushed it. "No."

Anakin really… really tried not to look frustrated.

He probably failed if his groan was any indication.

"We will start your combat training when you can go a full evening of our sessions without needing to go to the library for an answer."

Anakin's answer was deadpan. "You can't be serious."

Windu hiked an eyebrow upwards as if to say (Have you ever known me to joke)

And so… their routine persisted.

Anakin would writhe and chafe at the restriction, hating the ever prolonged delay to what was probably the most important part of a Jedi's training. Who cares how Jedi Master Rook-na negotiated a peace to a three hundred year old civil war. Or how the Jedi Barsenthor from god knows how many thousands of years ago argued of flaws in the Jedi code? He didn't care about these studies.

But study he did.

Day after day, night after night. He would read for long hours until the words blurred together. The most frustrating of nights he would read a whole tome of knowledge only to realize Windu's restrictions on his means of finding the answers had led him to reading something that didn't directly answer his question, or wasn't enough to give him a satisfactory answer.

It wasn't until, one day, after several months of this, did he realize what was happening.

It was when he, Aayla and some of their classmates were studying for an academic exam.

They would voice a question… he would have an answer readily available off the top of his head.

If not, he knew where to reference it.

By the end of the night, Aayla was calling him their "Bookie"

It was with a startling jerk that he realized… I know more than all of them.

For so long, Aayla and all the others had just seemed… untouchable to him.

They had years worth of experience over him. Aayla had helped him learn to study and read for Force sakes. They were always smarter, their force abilities more refined and developed along with their saber skills.

But… he'd caught up… he'd done more than catch up it seems.

It was with renewed energies that the next night he returned to the libraries.

It would be almost a full year… one year since Master Windu began his lessons before Anakin would finally sit for a full, uninterrupted evening with Master Windu before he heard the words-

"I believe our time is up for tonight padawan."

Anakin jerked where he sat, staring up at Master Windu before swiveling his head to the side and seeing that, yes, indeed, the sun was finally descending beneath the horizon of

His head hurt, his brain felt like it was throbbing with every beat of his heart and his legs had gone numb but Anakin felt a smile beginning to curl on his lips that was threatening to split his face in two.

"I- I did it! A whole evening, not needing to go to the Library Once! I did it!" He shouted.

For, probably the first time ever; Master Windu cracked a small, barely there smile in his direction. "That you did."

"So when do we start with Saber practice."

Windu stood from his cushion, towering over him. "Tomorrow morning, you will meet me outside the practice rooms. Nine AM galactic standard."

Anakin nodded so fast he felt as though his head would fall off. Already making a mental note to set his alarm early enough to get him there at eight thirty.

(X)(X)(X)

The following day, Master Windu met him outside of practice room 17; each room was spacious enough to allow any two Jedi, more than enough room to practice together comfortably. Filled with drone stations along with small and large objects that could be levitated.

"You're early." Master Windu commented opening the door.

"Not as early as you Master." Came the cheeky reply. Anakin was practically brimming with excitement.

When the door opened, he was confused to find a table and two chairs in the center, some kind of board game with pieces, not holograms was on said table.

"Master?"

"Before we start." Windu drawled as he took his seat. "You and I will play a quick game."

Anakin was confused, and mildly annoyed. He'd waited over a year for this. He really didn't want to wait any longer.

Still, sit down he did. Listening as Master Windu explained the rules of the game.

It was an archaic thing; Master Windu didn't even say its name, only that certain pieces moved in certain ways and patterns and that the goal was to corner or kill the weakest of the special pieces that could only move one tile in any direction.

The game started.

And Master Windu beat him in three turns.

He thought his Master would be disappointed, but he gave no indication, merely setting aside table, board, and pieces with the force before standing up and doing the same with the chairs.

Pulling two training sabers from the walls, Master Windu handed him his.

"What is the first rule of lightsaber combat disciplines?"

Don't put your eye in the saber vent. Anakin was half tempted to say before he repressed the urge and gave him a proper answer.

It would be hours later before they were done. Anakin was tired, sweaty, but feeling more invigorated than he had in a long time, eager for tomorrow to come.

Of course, Master Windu wouldn't be Master Windu if Anakin was allowed to leave the room in a good mood.

"We will be practicing basic forms for now of course." His Master said, stepping out of the practice room with not a figurative hair out of place. "We will move on to more advanced forms, and the applications of the Force in combat when you can manage to defeat me, draw me, or last for two hundred turns in the game we played earlier.

And Anakin felt his whole optimistic little world, that had lived for little more than a few short hours, die a stillbirth in that hallway.

He was fairly sure he could _hear_ Master Windu's smile as he glared at the back of his Master's stupid bald head.

"Goodnight Padawan."

He complained later to Aayla.

She didn't stop laughing...

(X)(X)(X)

Yes, I know its been a little while since the last update. I'm sorry :( Real life tends to get in the way.

At any rate, this is what I genuinely believe Windu would ultimately do with Anakin. Since he's so much older, Windu would dangle what Anakin craves most (combat training) behind a proverbial 'challenge' you do X, I teach you Y. Y being what Master Windu is most famous as (the Jedi battlemaster). Allowing Anakin to get a strong foundation in academics, history, and most importantly *philosophy* like other children his age would have. And now forcing him to develop a tactical/problem solving mind if he wants to advance beyond the most basic of lightsaber combat forms.

At any rate, this chapter was very much a summation of Anakin's life and training, so there was very little real dialogue/interactions between Anakin and... anyone really, but in future chapters that should be significantly more fleshed out :)


	4. Chapter 4

It was nearly a full year, before Anakin was finally able to 'beat' Master Windu at that board game.

And that had only been achieved by endless hours of practice on the holo-net (once he discovered just what the game was actually called)

Before that, his days largely consisted of a well established, practiced routine.

He would wake up, attend his academic classes, have lunch with Aayla, and their friends, Darra Thel and Ferrus Olin.

Then they'd go back to class, finish class, and the rest of the evening he'd meet with Master Windu.

With Master Windu they would start out with the game… the damn game… if he never played another match in his life he could die a happy man.

Then, after he lost… again, they would start practicing his basic forms.

Frankly, he'd done the basic forms for the six lightsaber combat styles so much he was pretty sure if he ever did 'sleep walking' his body would just go through the motions out of habit.

But today. Today that would change.

Why?

Because yesterday he beat Master Windu…

Well… outlasted his pre-determined turn 'goal' for the matches. Either beat him or last sixty turns.

He'd finally made it to sixty… Then lost at sixty one.

But still, a deal was a deal and today they were going to practice something new.

And so, arriving ten minutes early, Anakin waited for his Master by the training rooms with giddy anticipation.

Master Windu arrived right on time.

"Anakin." He greeted with the smallest of smirks, looking for all the world as though he fully expected his consistently late going student to be early for once.

"Master." Anakin was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Windu opened the door, passing through with his hands clasped behind his back.

And there was the table… with the board game… waiting for him.

"Oh come on!" He groaned.

Master Windu looked insufferably pleased with himself. "What? You didn't think we'd finished did you? You haven't actually defeated me yet."

"You've gotta be kidding me. It's been a year. I'm never gonna beat you at this thing!" Skywalker bemoaned.

"Patience is a virtue Padawan." Master Windu drawled. "And don't even think about throwing this game to start your new training quickly. Do that and we'll start from scratch." He warned.

Anakin wanted to jump off the temple roof.

With great sufferance and saintly patience on his behalf, Anakin played the force cursed game again with all his accumulated skill.

He lasted til turn fifty six.

And, dutifully, Master Windu decided to stop torturing him. Carrying off the pieces, board and table with the Force as Anakin went to grab the training sabers off to the side.

"We won't be needing those today Padawan." He said, and Anakin felt dread rising up from his spine.

Please don't let added lessons be philosophy, or listening to dusty holocrons.

His fears were allayed however, as he saw Master Windu divest himself of the heavier outer robe, and boots, leaving himself in just a set of plain clothes that seemed fit for sparring.

With a gesture, Windu called Anakin over to stand beside him.

"Padawan, what is the primary unarmed combat practice utilized by the Jedi?"

Anakin thought for a moment. "Ummm- Teräs Käsi-" He recalled from his many nights in the library.

"Why?"

"Uh. Because… it was made to fight Jedi?" He half stated, half asked.

He could tell Master Windu wasn't pleased with his hesitation, but he nodded nevertheless. "Correct. Teräs Käsi can allow a non-force user to combat a force user in close range combat. It is taught, and learned, so that one may recognize and adopt methods of defending one's self against an attacker with this skill set, and to grant a Jedi another skill to utilize when the lightsaber isn't available, or an option. We will begin learning Teräs Käsi, to go with your basic forms."

"I thought we were going to learn more advanced forms." Anakin wasn't whining… he wasn't.

"You'll have to beat me at the game for that." Windu countered. "Now- move as I do please."

Anakin did so, learning the first form of a martial art he was certain he'd never really use.

(X)(X)(X)

"You're learning what?"

It seemed Aayla agreed with his assessment, snorting into her cup the next day as they sat together at the dining hall.

"Oh ha-ha!" He grumbled. "Your Master is already teaching you dual combat styles and I'm learning Teräs Käsi. You laugh now but I'll remember this Aayla." He warned.

"If Master Windu wants to teach you Teräs Käsi he must have a good reason." Ferrus Olin said from the other side of the table.

Anakin felt his lip curl a bit.

Ferrus Olin was, in Anakin's mind, a Padawan with a rod stuck so far up his ass you could see the shine when he spits.

In truth, he was more Aayla's friend than his, half the time he couldn't stand the order's 'perfect padawan'

"I'm sure he has a reason." Anakin shot back. "It's probably a very shitty reason, but it is there."

"What's a shitty reason?" Darra Thel called, marching over with her choice of food for the evening.

"Master Windu's reason for teaching Anakin Teräs Käsi." Aayla said between bites of her sandwich.

Darra's face said it all.

"See!" Anakin hissed. "Even Darra agrees with me!"

"It won't be so bad Anakin." She tried to reason.

"Shhh shh." Anakin joked. "Rewind to six seconds ago, back to the face you were making and just agree with me. Like I agree with you when you complain about your Master."

She laughed softly as she sat down.

Anakin shook his head. "This is so useless." He bemoaned a second later.

"That's what you said about the Library trips." Ferrus reminded him.

"Now you're our bookie." Aayla laughed.

Anakin ran a hand through his brown curls. "All of you shut up, be like Darra and just agree with me. Just agree. Say I'm right and be quiet."

"Your ego can't take any more inflation bookie." Aayla laughed.

(X)(X)(X)

As the days turned to weeks, and the weeks turned to months, Anakin's training settled into a new routine. While his mornings were unchanged, his evenings with Master Windu were far more comprehensive and far more exhausting.

Three days a week, Anakin would train in physically. Three others, he would practice and meditate on the force.

The last he would have for himself.

Then it'd start all over again.

As most things with Master Windu, this routine went off like clockwork day after day after day, without fail.

Which of course, left him rather surprised, when, one fine day he made his way to their usual practice room, only to find Obi-Wan Kenobi there instead.

"Ahh, Anakin." The, now bearded Jedi smiled in his direction.

"Hello Obi-Wan." He answered back, looking around for Master Windu.

"Master Windu has been called away on an urgent mission I'm afraid. He asked me to inform you of it." The Jedi Knight said.

"What?" The young man half shouted. "But- Padawan are supposed to follow their Masters on Missions aren't they? Why wouldn't he take me?"

"Padawan go on low risk missions, with their Masters, and even then, only after they've reached sixteen. You're still fifteen are you not?" Obi-Wan reasoned.

Anakin's mouth curled up in a frown at the man's calm evisceration of his outrage. "I still should have gone!"

He could practically feel Master Windu's disapproving look at the back of his head, preaching patience and calm.

He sighed. Then, he realized something.

"So…" He trailed off. "What am I supposed to do until he gets back?"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Take the day off? Study? Join some of the other Padawans in their exercises?" He suggested. "I'm sure other Masters wouldn't mind helping with your training for a day or two, and as skilled as Master Windu is, it's always good to find different perspectives and teachers to learn from."

Anakin nodded. "Would you help teach me then?"

Obi-Wan smiled, but it was tinged with sadness. "Nothing would please me more, but I'll be heading offworld myself in just a few hours, I must finish making my last few preparations. Sorry Anakin."

Skywalker shrugged. "No big deal." It was true. While he did 'like' Kenobi in the general sense, knowing the man, along with Quigon was the reason he was here; he didn't really know him all that well. At least not well enough to be disappointed. If Kenobi was busy then he was busy.

The Jedi knight did seem genuinely apologetic to his credit. "When I return, if you still wish it, I will help."

With a pat over his shoulder Kenobi left the training room, Anakin following after him a moment later.

Marching down the hallways Anakin spread out his senses, wondering which Master he could approach for help. He knew most of them, or at least had met them. Many times his sessions with Master Windu were periodically interrupted when some Master or other had some kind of emergency they needed to discuss with Master Windu. But he couldn't say that he knew them enough to just walk up and say that he wanted to practice or learn from them til Master Windu came back.

Spreading out his senses, he discovered, a little surprised to be honest. That Darra and her Master Soara were actually in another of the training rooms nearby.

Shrugging to himself, he decided to hope for the best. Making his way over, he knocked politely on the training room door.

About six seconds later, it snapped open with a hydraulic hiss.

"Anakin?"

Darra looked up from her place sitting on the ground, blinking owlishly at him, the pieces of floating furniture around her slowly ceasing their spinning.

"Hey Darra. Hello Master Soara." He bowed a little.

"Skywalker." She greeted with a nod. "What do you need?"

She was always blunt.

He smiled a bit. "Master Windu is gone on a mission. Some kind of emergency. I was wondering-"

"If you could learn with me and Dara until he returns." She finished for him.

He shrugged. "Basically. Was wondering who I could ask and then I noticed you were in here." He could be blunt too.

The Jedi Master nodded. "Alright. Sit across from Darra, you see what she's doing?"

"Obviously she's trying to re-create the planetary exhibit down in the library." He joked.

She raised an eyebrow. "She is exercising her force abilities, while defending her mind from me."

"Ohhhh." He nodded.

"Start doing the same."

Anakin looked around the room, finding some more equipment and training gear Darra wasn't using yet before he brought it towards himself.

Darra had bigger pieces of furniture. But he had alot more smaller pieces, if she looked like an exhibit of planets in orbit around a star, he was a small asteroid field.

He waitch Darra, her face scrunched up in intense concentration, her brows furrowing as he felt Master Soara's power extend, reaching to brush across her shields.

Then, she pulled back, and Anakin could feel her ghostly touch across his own mind.

Anakin had never put much effort into training his mental shields. Always more drawn to the more 'practical' application of lightsaber combat. And his neglect was showing considerably.

He could tell Master Soara wasn't really trying but even so it took all of his will and know how to hold back even this tepid attempt at a breach.

"Your control is slipping Skywalker." Soara admonished.

Anakin opened his eyes, finding the field of floating training equipment around him was still, and wavering, whereas Darra's was still spinning lazily through the air.

He would definitely be practicing this more before Master Windu showed up again. This was just embarrassing.

It was roughly an hour later before Master Soara called an end to the session. He thought they'd devote themselves to Meditation or some other force exercise for the rest of the day, since that's what Master Windu did, devote one day to physical exercises or force exercises. But to his surprise, and immense elation, she used the force to drag over two Training Sabers, handing the Padawans the weapons.

"First contact wins." The rule is simple enough. The first to get a legitimate hit onto the other, wins. Normally a single lightsaber wound would cause enough sheer pain to disable anything short of an enraged wookiee.

"You're going down Skywalker." Darra grinned, twirling the saber into a ready stance he recognized as Niman.

"In your dreams." He teased back.

Master Soara rubbed the bridge of her nose; clearly disapproving of their lack of discipline. "Begin!"

And, immediately, Anakin realized how different this was in comparison to Master Windu.

Master Windu's forms were all but flawless, and any vulnerability was just a well disguised trap that would make Anakin over extend or make some other mistake. Master Windu would switch between being the aggressor and being on the defensive with a fluid, easy grace that was simply flawless in its transition.

Darra's form was solid… but hardly flawless, placing too much weight on her back leg, telegraphing her hesitation, her defensive mindset. She wanted him to attack first.

At this deduction, his mind warned him of an impending trap; telling him it's what Master Windu would do.

But the other part of him was too impatient to wait.

So he struck.

As he said, Darra's form was solid. But she was no Master Windu.

The blades clashed against each other with sharp-crack-snaps of striking sabers. Anakin, felt his body naturally moving into Form one, Shii-cho. Using quick acrobatics and fast blows to overwhelm the timid Niman.

Then, immediately, Darra switched to form five, Djem-So, the solid defenses of the form swinging the fight back into her own favor as she used his leaping acrobatics to seize openings and nearly take him out of the fight outright if not for a quick backstep that had him just narrowly escaping the reach of her saber swing across his gut.

She pressed the attack, switching to Shii-cho herself now that he was on the backfoot.

It was instinct, more than rational thought that guided his actions. Reflex and endless hours of practice with Master Windu.

His body slipped into the opening stance of the second form, Makashi.

The lightsaber combat discipline designed to combat lightsabers.

Darra either didn't recognize the form, or didn't recognize the danger. She pressed on, heedless.

Anakin may not have known the most advanced itterations of all forms. But after a year of practicing the basics of each with the battlemaster of the Jedi order, his dominance over those basics was undeniable.

Darra's attack was relentless, dancing around Anakin to try and strike him anywhere for the win.

With Anakin switching rapidly, as needed, between the Makashi, the Soresu and the Djem-So, however, she got nowhere.

Finally, he saw an opening.

One step, all it took was one step. He stepped towards her, watching her saber rise to block his strike only for him to abandon his hold on the weapon, gripping it with the Force to keep it moving as his hands were kept free.

Saber struck saber as he took another step, sliding inside of her guard. She was too startled to do much more than mentally fumble for an answer before his hands rose up grabbed her, twisting her Saber arm in the most basic disarming technique of the Teräs Käsi, hearing the weapon clatter to the floor before he shoulder tossed her, using the force to draw back his own saber into his hand and finishing the bout with a flourish by holding its point to her chest.

She blinked up at him, still dazed. "What in the correllian hell-"

"The match goes to Skywalker." Master Soara called. "Though, really, you must refrain from showing off."

Anakin grinned impishly, feeling his heart still pounding at the rush. He hadn't won a match since… ever really, just training with Master Windu. And to do it with Teräs Käsi was definitely a surprise.

"Lets go again!" He laughed, helping Darra up from the ground.

(X)(X)(X)

Well, this was fun. This will be one of the last chapters devoted to Anakin's 'formative' years. After this, we'll have, at most One more. More likely than not we'll be heading into the 'Episode 2' timeline. Things will be different here (as stated/implied) but the general timeline of when the 'war' breaks out will still be the same.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed :D


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